


Pre-Serum Soldiers.

by whynotfour



Series: Pre-Serum Soldiers. [1]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: 1940s based, Dominant Bucky, F/M, M/M, One-Shot format, Pre!Serum Steve, Submissive Steve, Threesome, combination of fluff and smut, maybe some inter-story links
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-25
Updated: 2015-07-30
Packaged: 2018-04-06 03:48:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 7,116
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4206807
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whynotfour/pseuds/whynotfour
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A collection of work based around the adventures of Steve Rogers and James “Bucky” Barnes prior to/during the Second World War.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Wireless.

The wireless played gently in the background, a mellow tune overlaying the sound of static as your fingers combed through Steve’s hair affectionately – his nervous hands keeping their mark around your waist in fear of overstepping it.

“I’m not butter, Steve,” you whispered delicately, all too aware of his affliction when it came to addressing the opposite sex. “I won’t melt if you touch me.”

A soft laugh left his lips, an apprehensive smile passing over his features as he moved one of his clammy palms up to join yours at your side, “Is this okay?”

You nodded in assurance, tongue brushing against your lips as you lifted your arms into position, “Remember what I said. Practice makes-”

“Perfect,” he answered steadily, concentration on the stereo as he tried to fall into the rhythm of the record that had just begun to play; your feet nudging his apart in preparation for first position.

Like in life, in dance Steve remained on guard – movements always constrained as he led you in a simple waltz. Flat footed and clumsy, he often sent you spiralling down a route of haphazard choreography with the heels of your shoes tapping against the hard wood floor acting as the compass he needed to get back on track. The clack of your red stained heels always drew his attention back to your lips, body switching to autopilot as his mind became fixated on their shape, forever painted flawlessly in the same shade just to taunt him. Caught in the act once more, his cheeks rose to match the same hue – smiling as you pretended not to notice in favour of further encouragement.

“You’re getting the hang of it! Want to try a little faster?”

No. No, he did not. Like you said, he was just getting the hang of it – why make it any more complicated? Regardless of his body (and better judgement)’s ruling, Steve moved obligingly closer to you, repeating the set of steps that were becoming engraved in his memory as he counted them aloud for you to shadow.

_One… Two… Three… One… Two… Three… One… Two… Thump._

His left leg managed to wrap around yours in his haste to follow your request, hands flying out in attempt to try to steady you despite the momentum of such an action only swaying your fall in the opposite direction. As if in slow motion, caught off guard, the two of you came tumbling down towards his side of the floor; your hand thumping against his ribs as he grimaced in response.

“Sorry-”

“No, it was my fault. I was trying to impress you and I - I have two left feet,” he claimed sombrely, hand ruffling his hair as you tried not to agree with his statement. “That’s the part where you’re supposed to assure me that that isn’t the case.”

“Assure you that you weren’t impressing me?” you watched as the familiar colour returned to his cheeks, eyebrows quirked as he spoke over you to try and set the record straight.

“No! I meant the left feet part-” Steve cried, his hand reaching up to cover his mouth in shame of his inability to speak before you seized it, lifting it to your own.

“Because I’m afraid I don’t lie - even if the worst dancer in the world is the one asking me to.”

You maintained eye contact with Steve in order to exaggerate the sensation of your lips pressing firmly to the back of his palm; the red print of your lipstick echoing against his pale skin and igniting his senses just like the sudden intrusion of a guest impacted yours.

_“Starting without me, doll?”_


	2. Wireless - Part 2.

_“Starting without me, doll?”_

Bucky’s face was calm and tone fixed steady as he crossed the room towards the heap of tangled limbs that sat in its centre. Stooping over so that his hands could cup your cheeks, he guided your body to stand against his; drawing soft fingertips against your cheekbones as he spoke.

“The deal was you taught him how to dance and I taught him how to charm the dames,” the way that James’ words hit the atmosphere – rich and heavy – made your skin crawl in anticipation of the promise that was hidden behind them. 

“We were just ending our lesson actually,” you claimed, trying to feign innocence as he laughed at your lie.

“Honey, we both know you overstepped your territory the moment you covered your lips with that crayon,” Bucky accessorised his words by trailing his thumb across your pout slowly. Your eyes meeting his for a few moments - heartbeat echoing through your overactive minds - before he turned to look back down at Steve who was still sprawled out across the floor; paralysed in fear of whatever punishment he might receive for touching Bucky’s… _well he never was one for labels._ “Think you can handle some practical experience, kid?”

Steve’s eyesight became evasive to the pair of you, a shudder passing through his body at all of the visuals dancing in his head. Hair unruly and frame flushed in a shade of pink, he finally addressed Bucky’s question with a quiet; “It’s not right, Buck.”

Forever the source of morality in your group, Steve’s words made Bucky let go of your face to ease him to his feet instead – arm slinging around the other man’s shoulders as they stood across from you. Pulling Steve tighter to his body, Bucky’s posture reminded you of the nights that he’d escort you home from one dance or another; drunk on love and lust in his desperation to care for you.

“What’s not right is making another one of those three million women lost out there in the big city go home alone just because you’re afraid to make a fool of yourself. Don’t you think so, doll?” his attention turned from Steve to you, shooting a look full of purpose in your direction as his free hand reached for you.

Taking to your role smoothly, you shared a secretive smile with your guy before making eyes at the other in a way that willed him to listen to Bucky’s command – stepping into his touch as directed.

“Look how beautiful she is, Steve. Surely you want a taste?” your chest fluttered in response to Bucky’s lips finally pressing to yours, soft and mellow despite the raw urgency that you could sense in his demeanour. “Don’t tell me you favour your own hand in exchange for this?” the vulgarity of his comment brought a rise to Steve who almost choked at the implication of his friend’s words while for you the tone of your lover only made you more desperate to touch him. “You’re not going to let us down are you, Steve? Because it seems to me somebody is already getting worked up just thinking about it.”

Half expecting the reference to apply to you, the feel of Bucky’s fingers on your skin did little to quench the flames that were ravaging through you and it was only when he guided them over the front of Steve’s trousers that you understood exactly what he meant. A mewl of delight parted your lips, Steve letting out a sharp exhalation in response while Bucky simply tilted his head in amusement.

“So what do you say, Steve? Want to play our game?”

Hesitant, Steve struggled to find the appropriate answer to Bucky’s question and in a rush of adrenaline he darted forwards to try and show you both through action only for James to pull you behind his back – a huff of disappointment echoing from your lips in despair at being made to wait any longer.

“Rules are rules though and I’m afraid I’m the one in charge around here,” your hands tightened around his in response to the threat that was laced amongst his words and the way that he threw a casual smirk at you managed to set your heart afire. “But if you think you can handle that then why don’t you head towards the bedroom and wait for the two of us there?”

Practically tripping over his own feet, Steve nearly collapsed when Bucky stopped him in his tracks to issue another command.

“Make sure you’re naked from the waist down too. I would hate to have to punish you, Steve." 

A clumsy exit was the only answer that James managed to receive from the other boy, turning to face you with a smile as he thought about the success of his plan so far.

_"I told you, sweetheart - getting him to say yes was just the beginning. Wait until I get started with the two of you..."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I honestly can't believe the initial response was so positive. I was kind of scared everyone would hate my writing so thank you to everyone who reached out to me! I hope more of you do following this instalment x


	3. Wireless - Part Three.

The promise of his words hung heavy in the air, your chest heaving harder with each breath as you listened to the sounds of the boys pouring through the gaps in the stereo. It had been minutes since Bucky had left you to your orders and yet somehow your skin still felt like it was burning wherever his feverish lips had touched.

Reaching across the small square of space that the boys called a kitchen, you helped yourself to a swig of their cooking wine – savouring the taste in an attempt to ease your nerves whilst folding the dress that Bucky had helped to remove against their dinning room table; forcing a deep breath before sauntering towards the doorway.

The sound of your heels tapping against the hall warned the boys of your approaching presence, Steve’s body practically shaking in anticipation as Bucky watched the door with a lazy smile that confirmed the experience that they were about to share.

“Oh my, God,” the sudden spurt of blasphemy echoing from Steve’s lips at your arrival caused Bucky’s eyes to twinkle - gesturing for you to pirouette for your captivated audience as he watched on in pride.

“I told you she's beautiful,” he reminded the other man, reaching out to you as he called your name. “Come here, doll. No need to be shy.”

Choosing to sit up and position you in the middle of the mattress, James’ hands swamped your own as he guided you against the sheets – hands gliding down the edges of your body to satisfy the craving for reassurance that he knew to be harbouring in the back of your mind.

“If at any time you feel like you need to stop – and this goes for both of you – just tell me.”

You took the lapse in action as your opportunity to finally observe Steve’s body; skin a shade of porcelain that had the potential to blind under direct sunlight and muscle mass a quarter of what you had become accustomed to acting as your reward.

“Can I-?” gesturing towards you, Steve’s voice somehow managed to startle both you and Bucky - your attention venturing from between his thighs to meet his eyes as a guilty blush spread over your chest making him feel more at ease. “Okay,” if Steve’s exhalation wasn't enough to confirm Bucky’s blessing then the lips pressing against the side of your neck worked wonders.

“It's all about you tonight, baby,” he whispered against your skin, Steve’s hands paying hesitant worship to your breasts as you bit against your lip once more. “Don't hold it in – we want to hear you,” complimenting his words by drawing a hickey against your neck, you could feel Bucky’s exhilaration towards your body’s natural response – smirking as he pulled away to admire his handiwork. “Steve's always had a thing for his teachers, haven't you kid?”

The mention of his name and diversion of concentration made Steve squeeze your swollen breasts harder, fingernails raking across your nipples as you let out a sound of pure delight making him repeat the action again in hope of committing it to memory.

“That's our girl,” James cooed, tilting your head so that he could get another taste of your lips while his fingers intwined with Steve’s hair to pull him closer to the pair of you. Kissing you deeply it took an impatient howl from the other boy to make him pull away, repeating the action with Steve as his free hand grabbed at your chest in an effort to continue the stimulation that had your body heading towards meltdown - the release of your lips the perfect opportunity for him to make them lock with those of his best friend.

It was with a warped sense of pride that he watched you become dominant in the exchange, clawing at Steve’s back as you tried to pull him closer to you while desperately trying to seek friction against his body. Your shifting hips caused Bucky to laugh, clamping them down with his palm as the other hand led Steve’s fingers towards your now damp panties.

“I..” breathless, you pulled away from the kiss - fighting with your words as he watched on in satisfaction; two sets of fingers just an inch away from where you needed them to be. “I need something – anything – please.”

Steve’s fingers moved within Bucky’s grip, clutching onto the band of your underwear as he tried to remove the item from your body - the elastic slapping against your skin as James tutted in disapproval.

“Not yet, doll. We’re going to wait until you're _begging_ to take these of,” painfully slow, he gently drew the other boys fingers over the front of the silk, Steve’s jaw falling slack at the realisation of just how wet their teasing was making you. Locking his eyes with yours, seductively Bucky lifted them up to his lips - taking the damp tips of Steve’s fingers into his mouth to taste you on them before sliding the three digits further down his tongue to remind you that there was unity in your torture. “You're such a good girl for us, sweetheart.”

Steve didn't realise that his tongue was protruding from between his lips until Bucky caught it between his newly freed fingers, a devilish grin on his face as he spoke above your hectic breathing – “I'm sure you can think of a better use for that pretty little mouth of yours, darlin'.”

“Steve,” you pleaded as James released him in favour of your thighs, parting them in a way that encouraged him to follow such words.

Laying a delicate trail of kisses from between your breasts and down towards your navel, it was a series of sharp tugs to his hair that encouraged Steve to pick up his pace - lips hesitating at the start of the fabric before working down over that too. Putting pressure against the bump that he assumed to house your cliterous, Steve was met by another moan and instinctively he found himself taking you into his mouth through the skimpy material as he tried to encourage a further response of the kind. Alternating between pressure it didn't take long for Steve to have you squirming beneath him, the pinch of Bucky’s fingers against your nipples pushing you towards the edge as one final set of words sent you spiralling over it.

_“That's it, sweetheart. Let go for us. We've got you.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I haven't had a chance to read back through this yet but here is the 'final' part of this mini-series (I say it skeptically because knowing me I'll probably write an after-care Bucky segment to compliment it within a few days - or perhaps I've already started drafting it tonight...). I'm going to keep updating this with other one-shots based on the same sort of principles anyway so fear not, the journey doesn't end here. As always I'd love to hear what you think - do you want the additional Bucky part?x


	4. Wireless - Part 4.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Can be read as a stand-alone although it works best as the final part of Wireless. Who doesn't love quick-witted and romantic Bucky Barnes?

The weight of Steve’s dead limbs sat heavy against your spent body, pinning you against the mattress as your eyes fixed on the abrasive trails of red that were leading down towards his lower back - an attempt to find distraction from the waves of exhaustion washing over you in the curves of his physique. Stretching out your burning muscles beneath him your fingers slipped easily between the strands of his matted hair, soaked with sweat as he mumbled something incoherent in response. Having lost all concept of time following the second – _or was it the third?_ – round, had it not been for the moon breaking through the curtains you were certain that your body could have fooled you into believing that it was already morning.

You were lost in thought as you watched the way that Steve’s features transitioned in dream, unaware of the person prying in on the private moment as you kissed his forehead softly – lifting his arm as you tried to slip from beneath him. It didn’t take much to change that though, a shift of footing making you whisper his name as you caught him off-guard in the doorframe.

“Buck?”

It was almost cliché to say that the world melted away as you held him against the wood work, James’ eyes heavy and posture at ease as he showed his emotions to you through a single smile – love radiant in the afterglow of his bare skin.

“I didn’t want to wake you,” his voice was husky in the absence of orders, worn out from cries of your name. “I’ve got a nice hot bath waiting on you though, sweetheart,” fingers working at the knots that sat in the lower contours of your back, neither of you were expecting the moan that slipped from between your lips and it was with hesitance that you checked to see whether you had disturbed the sleeping boy behind you.

Pushing Bucky in the direction of the roaring fireplace and the aluminium tub that sat in front of it, you could feel your thighs quivering in reluctance to do as asked –practically betraying you as they faltered next to the steam - causing him to bite back a smirk as you cursed.

“Oh we really did a number on you, didn’t we doll?” the narrowing of your eyes only caused him to laugh, lifting his hands in mock surrender as he continued. “Don’t take it personal, babe. I mean look at Steve; I don’t think he has taken part in that much physical exertion in… well forever.”

“You can be a real jerk sometimes, you know that right?”

“I take it as a term of endearment,” cupping your jaw in his fingers, a kiss was all it took for you to forget his comment; melting into his touch as you caught yourself in a yawn. “Keeping you up, darlin’?”

“Let’s see how you would manage to hold up after an evening with your sexual deviant of a partner, Barnes.”

“Deviant isn’t exactly the word I would use to describe the man who had you calling out to the Heavens all night, honey,” rubbing your shoulders gently his hands soon slipped down to massage your breasts. “And even if I was such a _deviant_ I would gladly pay my dues if it meant that I got to see you in that much pleasure again-”

“You’re awful,” your eyes closed as he laughed against your skin, open mouthed kisses pressed against your cleavage. “And yet there I was thinking that by running me a bath you were being romantic.”

“Romance is boring to you though, doll. We both know you crave adventure – excitement.”

“I crave those things with you, James,” you caught his cheeks between your palms, looking up at him as you spoke slowly. “I want everything with you.”

“And that’s what you’ve got, sweetheart. **Until the end of the line,”**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this the actual genuine last part of this little mini-series. Is there anything that you want to read in particular? Any prompts? If there are, you can either comment below or message me on Tumblr (whynotfour.tumblr.com/ask). I might make another collection on here for the boys post-serum - think lots of angst and emotional turmoil - so let me know if that's something any of you would be into.


	5. Enlistment (Bucky Barnes x OFC)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> James discovers that sometimes the right thing to do isn't the easiest.

The taste of her skin against his lips would have to be enough to keep him going while he was serving his time. The half empty bottle of her favourite perfume hidden inside his pack was as much of a reminder of home as the rings that sat against senior officers’ fingers. He was preparing himself to be lost to a number, nicknames saved as a luxury for his favourite pen pal as he concentrated on the way that she spoke his name – slow and soft like every syllable sat heavy against her tongue.

It would be this night that he clutched to when prayers weren’t enough to keep him sane – golden memories responsible for carrying James Buchanan-Barnes through the darkness.

Training was finished, a professional snipper lacking targets ready to be shipped overseas and as of tomorrow Sargent Barnes was property of the United States Armed Forces. Anything for the protection of democracy, his comrades had sworn; to protect those he loved, Bucky’s own solemn oath.

_“Honey, fix my dress?”_ a vision in red – a colour to have its positive connotations revoked in light of his first battle – she stood with her back to his khaki clad chest, bare skin exposed to their bedroom’s low-lighting as she waited for the clasp to be fastened.

The chain of the locket sitting over her heart – an item passed through the generations with its contents overlaid with pictures of new lovers – dipped between the valley of her shoulder blades and she felt his breath ghost against its’ fasten as he tried to regain composure over his emotions. An anxious smile played at the corners of his lips, watching the way that her muscles rippled in anticipation of his cold fingertips.

Her hands reaching around the intricate patterns of crimson lace that sat at the base of her neck to catch his in their grasp meant that remorse flooded his veins – observing the naked space above her knuckles as he fixated his memory on the glittering diamond that he walked past on the way to work each morning, fretting over whether he would ever get to see her in a dress made of satin after the chaos of war. Bucky knew that proposing would have been a selfish thing to do, the weight of such a deed as heavy on his conscience as the fear of him not returning would be on his hypothetical fiancée’s but in the long-run what did that really matter? She was staying at home regardless, fretting over when – if – her James would return even if she didn’t have the promise of a jewel to keep her company.

They had talked about starting a family prior to his enlistment – half a dozen cherub-cheeked infants blessed with his ice blue eyes and her gentle temperament – but the delivery of the morning paper soon diminished conversation of such in favour of a waiting game. Like the rest of the country, there was an effort to stay optimistic and for life to continue as normal but everyone was only all too aware of the hovering forces as two months turned into twelve and it became apparent that the allies were in no state to fight this war alone. Soon the cracks began to show and talks of duty overtook the gaps in conversation; tensions running at an all-time high.

She was the one to escort him to the bureau the day he signed his life away, an act of solidarity in the face of fear as he inked his name against the nation’s emblem. He knew his girl would stand by him through everything and maybe that was why he was so willing to fight the good fight because she would always be waiting on him.

They had teased each other about the approaching lack of intimacy, determination clear in the way that they embraced each other at the end of another long day – commissioning private works in the back of their minds as they tried to memorise everything that they had taken for granted in the months before. It was the way that their hands soothed tired muscles, lips burning against skin and it wasn’t until Bucky made it to camp – stumbling across the stash of private pictures that she had hidden amongst his clothes on his second day – that he realised just how sane she managed to keep him in preparation for this moment.

_“You’re going to come back to me,”_ she told him on their last night, eyes pressed closed as his lips touched against her spine. _“You aren’t leaving me, James. I love you too much for that ever to happen.”_

And in that moment he truly believed her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always let me know what you think and feel free to send me any prompts/requests either below or over on Tumblr (whynotfour.tumblr.com/ask) xox


	6. Family (Steve x Bucky)

Alone in the apartment the only noises that could be heard between the two boys were Bucky’s occasional sighs and Steve’s laboured breaths, the latter still occurring half an hour after the incident due to both the asthma and the fight’s strain on his ribcage. Sat against the counter-top whilst James unpacked the first-aid kit that they both had grown overly accustomed too in recent months, Roger’s assumed that this must have been a scene reminiscent of that shared between father and son – a moment of love and pride following soccer practices and big games while scraped limbs got bandaged up – another thing that the Great War had deprived Steve of. He was a freak for never getting to experience such a simple interaction; an outcast due to deprivation.

“What happened this time?” they were thirteen and already Bucky spoke the words with such familiarity that Steve was getting sick of hearing them.

Tonight the older boy had found him cornered at the back of the diner as opposed to the usual back alley but the injuries Steve was sporting remained the usual; a bruised eye socket and a split lip making vision and speech luxuries that he was struggling to contend with. The wounds may have been bad and the pain throbbing but they had each dealt with worse.

“They were talking about my father again, Buck. I couldn’t just let it slide,” letting out a heavy breath Bucky allowed his palm to spread across Steve’s shoulders - careful where he laid its weight in fear of harming the frail boy any further.

The gesture was one that he had been on the receiving end of many times and something that he assumed to mean reassurance as he turned it on his distressed friend alongside a sympathetic smile and a try of his name.

“I just want a normal family, Buck,” Steve pleaded, fidgeting as much as he could with his body still pressed between Bucky’s and the overspill of medical supplies. Neither of them addressed the tears that were threatening to spill against his cheeks nor the truth that his mother was doing the best that she could - working double shifts to provide for him - even though her absence was only causing more damage than superfluous goods could manage to fix. “Maybe then they wouldn’t have any reason to pick on me.”

“They would only find another thing to attack you for, Steve. Don’t kid yourself,” ever the pragmatist, Bucky’s response caused Steve to furrow his brow once more in anguish. “Besides, we both know you can’t outrun a bully. You have to stop and stand your ground – push ‘em right on back.”

“That’s easier said than done when you’ve got five of them chasing one of you,” never one for pity, Bucky struggled not to roll his eyes at Steve’s over-dramatisation of events. “And don’t give me that look, Barnes. We both know I wouldn’t stand a chance even if it was one on one.”

“True,” raising his eyebrows at the lack of defence that he was currently receiving Steve let out a definitive hiss, accidentally having reopened the eye wound that had started to knit itself back together beneath the plaster that Bucky was now fussing to change as he mumbled the occasional curse to himself. “That’s why I’m going to try and – hold still – teach you how to handle ‘em,” he confessed, pushing the dressing firmly against the gushing cut before sparring with the air and flashing a grin at his friend.

Steve was quick to try and refuse such an offer though, beating Bucky’s hands away as he flushed pink in embarrassment – sad to have inconvenienced his friend in this way so many times before, “I can’t ask that of you, Buck. You have enough on your plate at home with the little ones, let alone taking care of me too.”

“You didn’t ask, I offered. Besides you’ll be doing me a favour, have you ever tried living with my siblings?” Bucky shook his head in mock, or at least what Steve hoped to be mock, despair at the thought of his family. “It’ll do me good to get out of the house for a few hours. And while I’m thinking about it I really do need you to be better protected anyway, I mean I'm supposed to be the cool one - I can hardly let you go around with more scars than me!” laughing at the ridiculous nature of Bucky’s reasoning, Steve had no choice but to agree with him as fond smiles filled their faces and James continued doing his best to patch him. 

It wasn’t until they were finished and that he was finally packing the kit back up that Bucky paused to say the words that he knew his best friend needed to hear in the moment.

“Anything for the sake of family, right?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry that I haven't had a chance to read through and check for errors etc yet but I got really sick yesterday so I'm kind of suffering right now. If you want to make an unhappy girl smile then please let me know what you think. As always prompts and requests are more than welcome either below or over on Tumblr x


	7. Oblivion (Bucky x OFC)

The humidity of the city is practically unbearable during the height of the season, evaporation impossible as beads of sweat cling to your brow and heavy sighs force labour upon your lungs. The heat triggers your insomnia and shifting through a catalogue of positions you only manage to get tangled further in the sheets, submerged into the world of reality as opposed to dream.

Your feet stick to the floor as you stand in front of the open panes of glass, landscape painted in shades of grey as you hear the gentle mummer of a song breaking through the air from the bar down the street; drunk men stumbling home to wives and mistresses as your nightgown clutches at the corners of your body like a desperate lover making you wonder how the latest news can possibly be true.

Casting your eyes skywards you watch the stars take on the form of Bucky’s lopsided scrawl, the words of the letter folded against your dresser blazing against the midnight velvet causing tears to slip between your lashes as they fill the sky.

_‘We’ll have to visit again when this is all over doll, you’ll love the nightlife and the way that the moon stretches out against the horizon. It feels like you’re standing on the edge of the world when it gets dark – staring into oblivion if you head towards a certain spot. I’m pretty sure that together we could conquer even that though; you and me against the world, wasn’t that the deal? I’ll be back for you soon, sweetheart. I love you. James.’_

The words were written with the intention of soothing the pain of his absence and yet their delivery had only caused your blood to run cold as another uniformed officer stood in Bucky’s place, handing over the tattered piece of stationary alongside a starch white envelope and unfamiliar cursive, _“My condolences, ma’am.”_

You had fallen to your knees as he walked away, tugging at your clothes as you struggled to process just what the telegram could possibly mean when it told you in the words of the Unites States military that _‘We regret to inform you that Sargent James Buchanan-Barnes of the 107th has been declared missing in action’._ He couldn’t be gone; you refused to accept it. He was coming back for you. He had given his word that he would and Bucky Barnes never went back on a promise.

The official template was speaking of a man foreign to you, a soldier poised for war whom you had never had the privilege of meeting. You didn’t know Sargent Barnes – you only knew the boy who cried watching Sleeping Beauty; the teenager who spent a summer in plaster for saving his best friend from a group of thugs; the lover who made you feel like the Earth’s most precious stone; the man that assured you he would always come home. You knew Bucky, not an army rank.

Staring at the paper you considered how many next of kin had suffered the fate of such wretched words, the ambiguity of such a letter making it sound as if they were children lost to play and not men sent out on false authority to battle suicide missions. It was the uncertainty of lost futures that caused the most pain, everything you had believed to be true discarded in a few broken sentences and once again you felt like the world was falling from beneath you.

Sliding to the floor you tried to distract your mind with a list of things that needed to be done now that James was… _missing._ First you would have to visit his mother - explain the news that he had so feared her having to hear when he first enlisted - and then there was Steve – Steve who had gone blazing after Bucky into the line of fire as if they were still children on the playground. They had always been inseparable and a new wave of anguish ripped through you on Steve’s behalf as you realised how this could no longer be possible. You had lost a lover, his mother a son but Steve had lost the most. He had lost a brother, a best friend and his one true ally.

Right now you needed to be strong, if it wasn’t for you then for the Captain sent out overseas to join the man who would no longer be at his side. Steve may not have known it yet but he needed you and it was your duty to Bucky – to the man who you would always love – to be there for him and you’d be damned if you were letting either of them down.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always I would love to hear what you think and any requests that you may have, so you can either post them below or send me an over on Tumblr (whynotfour) x


	8. Poise (Steve x Reader).

The fever raging through his body fails to subside despite the cold washcloth being pressed to his clammy skin and whether this is due to his body’s failure to regulate his own internal furnace or the proximity of his self-appointed nurse, Steve neither knows nor cares in his influenza induced delirium. He can make out her voice clearly in the desolate apartment and if he dares to subject himself to the late rays of afternoon sunlight that are pouring through the threadbare sections of his curtains he can see the neat rows of curls that are still being pinned tightly against her scalp in preparation for tonight. Mostly he is aware of the compassion that fills her face, however, and the beauty of her heart as she asks once more, _“Are you sure you don’t want me to stay home tonight?”_

The words fall genuine against his over-sensitive mind and they echo through his head as he stumbles over the appropriate phrasing of a reply. He knows that he must refuse her offer – after all Bucky had become a slave to the night’s plans ever since she agreed to let him take her on a date – and he refuses to crush his best friend’s happiness at the expense of his immune system. He cringes at the pain in his throat as he attempts to talk, wondering to himself whether he could have possibly choked down a mixture of glass and gravel in his sleep, and seeing the obvious discomfort of such an experience he is hushed in favour of paper. He flips the pages of his sketchbook with pencil in hand before finally annotating a portrait of the three of them with the words; _“It’ll be okay.”_

Unlike most people, she doesn’t doubt his words and he knows that the push of _‘Bucky won’t mind’_ comes from the good of her heart as opposed to pity. Shaking his head lightly, Steve runs the pencil underneath his words to highlight that he is certain of his reply and in return he earns a half-hearted smile, restrained at the corners and not quite reaching her eyes, before she lifts herself to her feet.

“I suppose I should get myself together,” her laugh sounds shaky due to nerves and for the first time Steve realises that tonight means just as much to her as it does to Bucky and a wave of nausea strikes him in the exact same moment as the thought that they are both becoming lost to him slips through his mind. 

Even in the half-shadow of his room he has still never seen a girl as beautiful as her and it takes the close of his bedroom door for him to be able to regulate his breathing once more, blinking away the tears he can feel pushing towards the surface. He doesn’t realise that he has found a new page and is starting the outline of a particular silhouette until it’s too late to turn away from the charcoal marks and there is something that calms the storm raging inside of him as he adds line after line to the once blank sheet. 

He has never considered himself a fan of the black heeled favourites that sit next to her closet but colouring in the soles of the shoes against the stark white of the paper feels almost as natural as the attention he discovers he has been paying to her legs. Drawing their curve steady in a line that accentuates the taught muscles of her calves, Steve notices that he has absentmindedly insured that she is standing against her toes to reach towards the undrawn suitor. Her body is hyper-extended on the sheet and her heels hover over the ground, but Steve still ensures that he manages to maintain the poise that she carries so elegantly in the flow of his pencil. He loses himself in the markings, thinking of all the things that keep him centred in this world as he draws the woman who embodies all of these qualities and it isn’t until she’s looking at the familiar face of her partner that Steve realises just what he’s done.

It is the face of her roommate that she is looking into and it is only now that he realises that sees her as so much more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry it's been so long since I last posted, I ended up having a really emotionally heavy week but I'm back and to make up for it I am also about to post the first part of a new mini-series which revolves around the relationship of Bucky and an ex-double agent in the wake of S.H.I.E.L.D and HYDRA's demise. I'm really excited about writing this, growing up I always wanted to be a Bond girl and this is basically my way of channelling that energy into a creative forum.
> 
> As usual I'd love to hear your opinions/any requests so either drop them below or over on Tumblr, you know the drill.
> 
> Once again sorry for the wait - Beth xx


	9. Steady (Bucky x Reader)

Everything is a shadow of what they used to know in light of the country's current predicament, streetlights painting a monochrome city in shades of empty gold as they walk together under the veil of the night sky. They are bandits in the park after midnight, stealing kisses in the place of goods as the dying sounds of the city act as their soundtrack.

Her skirt falls heavy against her knees, stockings thrust into the depths of her purse as her pumps slide against the soles of her feet with every step. He assumes they must be beginning to ache from time spent on the dance floor - after all Bucky's own muscles are becoming tinged with the familiarity of exhaustion as he struggles to hold himself up - but she makes it clear that she's not ready to go home just yet as she clings onto his arm.

James feels like he hears only what he wants to hear as her words fall heavy in the humidity, a voice like satin speaking to him through the darkness - _"I do wish you'd stop making passes at me though, Buck. Makes it real hard to say goodnight to a dreamboat like you."_

The laughter that they share will go on to hurt his heart in reminiscence but changes nothing about the moment as he suddenly spins her against his chest, swaying on the spot as he grins carelessly down at her. The taste of Y/N's lips is a fading memory, the desperation to recapture it pushing harder against his mind with every moment as he wordlessly asks for permission by dragging his fingers over to her hips and the upturned sleeves of his jacket that sit there. He taps softly against her curves with the pads of his thumbs, the motion unfelt in the numb atmosphere of the early hours as she steps forward to meet his embrace - body moulding seamlessly with his as she lets her mouth graze over Bucky's own.

-

In the present he feels his breathing hitch, the weight of her absence crashing against him anew as he clutches his fist around the locket hidden in his palm. The light of the barracks turning his complexion a sickly yellow as he avoids the letter on his knees, bile rising his throat as he seeks comfort in the actions of their past as opposed to her future which the ink-stained paper serves to remind that he can won't be a part of.

-

Pulling away Bucky feigns disgust, scrunching his face up playfully as he rubs his nose against hers like children on the playground, stilling so that he can speak, _"Stop flappin' ya lips - you know you can't keep me on the hook for long, baby doll."_

_"You are such a sap,"_ her laughter is contagious as she leans back in his arms, hands pressing against the breasts of his dress shirt to steady her balance. _"I'll definitely be putting you through the ringer for that later, stud."_

_"That's the idea, doll."_

_"Why do I feel like there's somethin' you're keeping from me?"_ Y/N's smile is contagious, wonder visible in her eyes as Bucky fixes the pin that's peaking out from her up-do with a nervous laugh.

_"Stop ya yappin' and maybe I'll get to sayin'!"_ Bucky's words cause her eyes to light up, miming locking the corner of her lips as she places the imaginary key into his pocket with a wink. _"I was kinda wonderin' if you'd maybe consider..."_

His words die on his tongue and the smirk that lights up his face implies that it's intentional as she thumps her hand back down against his chest. Impatient as ever, Y/N tries to argue but Bucky's hand works to muffle her words before they can even be spoken.

_"I'm gettin' there, m'gettin' there," his teasing creates a scowl against her face, foreheads pressing together so that they're only separated by his fingers. "I've been soft on you for a while now and I was wondering if you wanted to..."_

-

_"When did it arrive?" finally Bucky manages to ask, looking over at Agent Carter as she analyses the soldier's body language. "Is it official? Is she really marrying this guy?"_

Peggy hesitates, fingers riffling through a file before finally handing him an article from the boys' local paper declaring the wartime engagement of another GI and his girl.

_"I'm afraid it is, Barnes. I understand if you need to take some time-"_

_"I'm fine,"_ using the extension of her hand to thrust the documents back, Bucky is halfway to his feet - fingers unknowingly clinging on to the scrap of metal that she'd enclosed with the letter that had managed to break his heart - before he can even turn to ask a favour of his senior in command. _"Peggy? Can we not tell Steve about this please?"_

_"It'll be our little secret, James."_

-

Taking his hand from her mouth down to her collarbones, Bucky threaded his fingers around the locket sitting there to calm his sudden spurt of nerves as the question that had been turning on his tongue all night finally betrayed him.

_"Would you want to go steady with me?"_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back, baby. As always let me know what you think/want either here or over on Tumblr. In recent weeks I've been writing quite a few small little drabble requests/reader inserts so if you want one of your own then [**message me here.**](http://whynotfour.tumblr.com/ask)


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